Foot arch support



y 1935- I J. HELLER 2,000,949

FOOT ARCH SUPPORT Filed Feb. 24, 1933 L/ULIUS #5445 by hrs afforneys.

Patented May 14, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENTY OFFICE 2,000,949 V V FOOTARCH SUPPORT Julius Heller, Neunkirchen, Austria, assignor to firmSchraubenund Schmiedewaarcnfabriks- Actiengesellschaft Brevillier & Co;und A. Urban & Soehne, Vienna, Austria, a company of Austria ApplicationFebruary 24, 1933, Serial No. 658,395

8 In Austria March l, 1932 4 Claims. (01. 36-71) The invention relatesto a foot arch support for elastically supporting the foot in whichsupport there is a tensioning device that may be actuated by turning tobring about the adjustment of the supporting springs. These footsupports areparticularly advantageous for the reason that the aforesaidtype of tensioning device to be actuated by turning for instance a screwlock, makes it possible to adjust the spring tension in the simplestmanner. Nevertheless such foot supports possess a deficiency consistingin that the screw lock, although the screws are selflocking, may openautomatically and unintentionally owing to the high strainsto which thelock is exposed. It has been attempted in vain up to now to remove this.

The invention does away with this deficiency by providing the tensioningdevice with stops which during the use of the foot support permit thetensioning device to turn in the opening di-- rection only withinpredetermined limits.

In the drawing is shown a constructional form of the subject matter ofthe invention selected by way of example. Fig. 1 shows the foot supportin inverted plan view, Fig. 2 shows a section of the foot support andthe screw lock.

The top plate 2 is secured to the insole 'l in a known manner and onthat are secured the longitudinal bent spring 3 and the heel spring 4. 5is the base plate and between this and the top plate 2 is interposed thetensioning device. The tensioning deviceconsists of two screw threadedscrew bolts 8', l enclosed by a nut 8 in common to them. This screw lockor its rotatable part is provided, according to the invention, withabore 9 perpendicular to the axis of the screw lock and in this bore isslidably mounted an arm I0 enlarged at both of its ends. The length ofthis arm is greater than the distance between the topplate 2 and theinner surface of the shoe sole l l.

The tensioning of the longitudinal bent spring 3 and of the heel spring4 in order to adjust the curvature of the top plate 2, is effected byturning the screw lock sleeve 8 by means of the arm [0. After the propertension of the springs has been adjusted, the foot support is broughtinto position in the shoe. If now owing to the great strain to which thefoot support is exposed, the screw lock tends to move in the openingdirection, that is to say, if the lock sleeve 8 is turned in the openingdirectiomthis turning cannot exceed a predetermined extent, since thearm I0 owing to its length, strikes either against the top plate 2 oragainst the inner surface of the shoe sole I I, or against both of themsimultaneously, thus acting as a stop which prevents under anycircumstances an unintentional continued turning of the screw sleeve 8in the opening direction.

I bore.

Thus the invention provides afoot support in which the tension of thesupporting springs once adjusted is permanently maintained.

. Instead of the screw lock any desired-tensioning mechanism may beused, in which byturning a tensioning element a movement of the tensionvarying members is brought about, for instance bolts engaging helicalsurfacessimilarly as in bayonet clutch or the like. In a similar manneralso any otherstops on the foot support or;

on the adjacent parts of the shoe may be provided. I

What I claim is: 1. A foot arch support comprising plate means,

supporting springs connected with said plate means, means for adjustingthe tension ofthe said supporting springs, said last named meansincluding an element adapted to turn, means in permanent engagement withsaid element for limiting the turning of said elementinone direction toa predetermined limit by engagementwith said plate means.

2. A foot arch support comprising meansfor supporting the foot arch,supporting springs for adjusting the curvature of said means, means foradjusting the tension of the said supporting springs, said last namedmeans including an element adapted to turn, means in permanentengagement. with said element for turning said element and serving as astop forlimiting the turning of the said element in one direction to apredetermined limit by engagement with said supporting means.

3. A foot arch support comprising supporting springs, a screw lockcomprising two coaxial screws connected with said springs, and a nutengaging both of the said.screws, a transverse bore in the said nut, anarm slidably mounted in the said bore for limiting the turning ofthe'said arm together with the said nut in one direction to,a'predetermined limit, and enlargements on the arm greater in at leastone transverse dimensprings resting on said sole-with said top plateuppermost, a screw lock comprising two coaxial screws and a nut engagingbothof said screws for adjusting the tension of said supporting springs,a transverse borein said nut, and an arm slidably mounted in said bore,the length of said arm being greater than the distance between said soleand said top plate, said farm being provided with enlargements at bothof its ends for preventing it'from slipping outof said JULIUS

